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Continuous Improvement Programs

Acklands-Grainger’s Continuous Improvement approach combines the disciplines of Lean and Six Sigma to drive measurable improvements in our business and in the quality, consistency and cycle time of our customers’ experiences. By integrating the tools and processes of Lean and Six Sigma, we’re creating a disciplined, data driven approach to ensuring we are easy to do business with – that we unlock ways of working smarter … quicker … and better for our customers. Acklands-Grainger’s Continuous Improvement provides the framework and tools we need to analyze business processes and identify ways to eliminate both errors and unnecessary steps.

Process Focus: We realize that the process challenge lies between departments and that the transfer of knowledge and information is generally not done very well between those silos. Process optimization demands that all employees across functions maintain a mindset of constant evaluation and improvement. If we do it effectively, we know the results can be astounding.

People Focus: We understand that embedding a rigourous metholodgy like our Continuous Improvement does not happen overnight and is in fact a journey. For this reason we understand that one of our key focuses is to create leaders that are driven by the valuing of facts and analysis (being fact based), have an openness to having current practices questioned (embracing change), have an ability to measure and report defects and waste without defensiveness (sharing, trusting and admitting mistakes) and use analytical tools to evaluate risk and options (accepting calculated risks).

Customer Focus: As Canada’s largest industrial, safety and fastener distributor and with more than 125 years in the business we well know that everything starts with our customer. Creating a consistently superior and efficient customer focused approach to our business is what we are about and why we have made a company commitment to Acklands-Grainger’s Continuous Improvement.

Acklands-Grainger’s Continuous Improvement is a critical step toward creating a culture that is driven to excel. And one that is focused on reducing process variation, improving cycle times, enhancing the customer experience and providing increasing returns on our investments in capital and human resources.